Fairmont Orchid sails into stargazing program

The Fairmont Orchid offers a new stargazing program every Friday, from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m., when local astronomer Wayne Fukunaga and his team from Star Gaze Hawaii, and crew members of the Hawaiian outrigger voyaging canoe Makali'i answer questions about the night sky.

The stargazing sessions take place on the Pool Deck, with the experts sharing commentary and star lore, drawing from firsthand Hawaiian outrigger canoe night-sailing experiences. Hour-long "talk story" sessions illuminate the stars in the zodiac and the way ancient Polynesians used the stars to guide their canoes across the ocean.

Astronomers deem Hawaii's night sky well suited for stargazing because the islands are the most isolated in the world (2,500 miles to the nearest land mass). Without the glow of metropolis lights, the stars virtually appear to be within arm's reach. Observatories representing 13 different countries scan the night skies from atop Mauna Kea summit within two hours' drive of the resort.

The cost is $30 for adults, $15 for children 5 to 11, and free for 4 and younger. Adult participants will go home with a gift packet including a star map, astronomy postcards, astronomy fact booklet and red LED light. The gift for children 5 to 11 includes a star map, coloring booklet, crayons and activity sheet.